


stranger

by whimsyappletea



Category: Vocaloid
Genre: Angst, Drabble, Drama & Romance, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Established Relationship, F/M, Heavy Angst, Manipulative Relationship, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Open to Interpretation, Physical Abuse, Romance, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2016-04-23
Packaged: 2018-06-03 23:50:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6632050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whimsyappletea/pseuds/whimsyappletea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She doesn’t understand where she’d gone wrong.</p>
<p>—ten moments from heaven to hell. Lenrin, miku.</p>
            </blockquote>





	stranger

**Author's Note:**

> mmmm one of my all-time favourite pieces to-date - written in two sittings and clocking in at 930 words, this was an experiment to see if i could write something under 1k thatll unsettle readers hohoho ☆
> 
> based off a twitter drabble i wrote back then and tamia’s song that played while i was on-duty at sea games 2015!
> 
> **trigger warning** for abuse, both physical and psychological, as well as general dark themes. its not one of my usual fluffies, so beware!
> 
> lenrin, with a side of miku.

.  
.  
.

10.

“Play nice,” she pleads, her voice a breath from cracking. Her eyes hold his, but there’s nothing left of him to see. “Play _nice_ , won’t you?”

His smile is a dagger in the dark, going straight for the kill.

“I already am, darling.”

.

**stranger**

_nobody believes me when i tell them that you’re out of your mind;  
nobody believes me when i tell them that  
there’s so much you hide._

.

9.

Rin’s never had reason to fear him before, but now she’s not so sure.

He’s still smiling, laughing exactly the same as before, walking, talking exactly the same as before, but it’s chilling. Disquieting.

She doesn’t understand where she’d gone wrong.

“What are you talking about,” says her friend Miku, a sceptical lilt to her tone, and her heart sinks a little lower. “He’s still Le—”

“NO!” Rin shouts, and the rest of the café falls silent. She flinches, reminded of the silence at home, lead me away from this place, I can’t take it much longer, please, lead me anywhere but here—

“Hey,” the tealette soothes, rubbing her back in circles, one, two, three, one, two, three. She hunches over, feeling small, so small, when will she wake up to find her beloved golden boy again? “Hey, calm down. Talk to me.”

“Luka-nee was right.” Miku blinks uncomprehendingly at her words, but she doesn’t expect her friend to understand.

Rin whispers, quietly, hoarsely, “That’s not Len.”

.

8.

The air is cold in their shared apartment.

“What would you like for dinner, Rinny?” he asks kindly, the sharp edges of his grin slicing through the silence with deft effectiveness.

She swallows; something’s definitely wrong. She still hates it. He’s never called her Rinny. Never, never, never. “I—I’m not hungry,” she fibs, and trembles when his eyes darken.

Abruptly he slams a fist against the wall beside Rin’s ear, the sound loud enough to make her shriek. She squeezes her eyes shut, bracing herself for the next blow—

Only to feel a gentle caress along her jawline.

“Next time, darling,” he comments lightly, “next time.” His eyes are hooded, his smile saccharine sweet.

Rin doesn’t know what to think anymore.

.

7.

“Darling, where are my notes from my secretary?”

She pauses, both at the nickname and the accusing undertones in his query. “I put them together with the letters from today. Is there a prob—?”

Suddenly he’s directly in front of her, his shadow eclipsing hers in an instant.

“ _Don’t_ ,” he hisses, the dagger of a smile held to her throat pinning her in place, air, I need air, oh god I’m gonna die please _help me_ , “touch my things without my permission.”

When she manages a tiny nod, he smiles, releasing her and pressing a starlight kiss to her forehead. The rush of oxygen leaves her light-headed, but at least the world is bright again. “Good girl. You’re a good girl, Rinny.”

Rin tries not to dwell on his definition of ‘good’.

.

6.

“Maybe he’s just tired,” she says to her reflection in the full-length mirror. Dressed in nothing but a flimsy camisole and shorts, Rin inspects herself.

The discoloured patches are stark against the rest of her smooth skin.

“Maybe he’s just tired,” she repeats, closing her eyes when she hears the front door slam shut for the third night in the row.

Rin isn’t sure who she’s trying to convince.

.

5.

Miku waves away her worries with a dismissive sweep of her hand. “I think you’re overthinking this, Rin. I mean, it happened _once_ , right? It could’ve happened to anybody!”

“Really,” she asks, and hates that she sounds so _meek_ —like the cute, fluffy animal he supposes she is.

“Yeah, I’m sure he’s just stressed from work. You did say the company’s suffering from the bad economy, right?”

“Mm...”

The tealette beams despite her hesitation. “It’ll be fine, you’ll see!”

Rin smiles back, but doesn’t trust herself to reply.

.

4.

The boy gapes in horror when he sees the bruise rapidly blooming on her face. “Oh, god,” he says, tight fist shaking, shaking, shaking. “Oh, god, I’m so sorry. Rinny, I’m so, so sorry.”

He rushes forward to embrace her, and she lets a pained sob escape her lips. “Shh, Rinny, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it, you know that right? I’m so sorry. It’s gonna be alright.”

She calms, but something’s a little wrong. She hates it. Len would never lay a hand on her. Never, never, never.

Would he?

“It’s gonna be alright, don’t worry.”

Rin allows herself to believe him, just this once.

.

3.

She tiptoes to look over his shoulder curiously, and Len laughs, hands splayed across her hips to keep her steady. “What are you looking for, Rin?”

“A tail.” Rin glances up at him thoughtfully, and continues, “Luka-nee called you a wolf, once. I’m trying to figure out why, that’s all.”

“A wolf, huh.” The boy ruffles her hair with a mischievous grin, earning a cry of protest from her.

“Doesn’t that make _you_ the captured sheep?”

.

2.

The girl cups his face in her hands, her lips against his like a pair of butterfly wings, and something’s definitely magical. She loves it. I never want to let go of you, she muses dreamily, never, never, never.

“You,” Rin starts, but becomes too giddy to finish her sentence.

He pulls away, bumping his forehead with hers. “Me,” he mocks playfully. “It’s me, Len.” His eyes are alive, his smile worth a thousand photographs.

Rin thinks she’s the luckiest girl in the world.

.

1.

“You’re so lovely,” he murmurs, his voice a breathless whisper. His eyes hold hers, and she sees her beloved golden boy. “You’re lovely, and I love you.”

His smile is a tendril of sunshine, kind and warm.

“I always will, Rin.”

.

_look me in the face and tell me that i’m wrong_  
when i say—  
there's a stranger in my house. 

.  
.  
.

**Author's Note:**

>  **disclaimer:** i do not own Vocaloid, Hilary Duff’s _Stranger_ , or Tamia’s _Stranger in My House_.


End file.
